Ten Resolutions to Make the Best of your Career in the New Year

As another year comes to its close, people start to think of fresh beginnings and what they’d like to change in their life for the New Year. Another January spent resolving to eat better, exercise more and generally trying to become a better version of yourself. But what better way than making the best of your career in the new year. If you’re able to do and feel your best in your career, chances are it will help improve the other areas of your life as well.

Think about it… for the average 40 hour, five day work week, that really only takes up less than a quarter of the hours in said week. Doesn’t seem so bad does it? Until you consider the amount of time you spend preparing for work, packing lunch, doing laundry, answering emails from your dinner table, getting ready, commuting. It heavily impacts what you can do before and after work, and how you spend the hours surrounding actually physically being at work. Once you take that into consideration, chances are that percentage will creep up past that 25% and gets closer to 50%, if not more of the week.

So for something that impacts such a significant part of your life, do you really want it to be anything less than the best? If you have to spend five out of the seven days of your week working, commuting, preparing, it better damn well be worth it! So quit making excuses for why you’ve been in the same dead end job for half a decade or why you’re miserable, and make the resolutions to improve your career, your attitude towards your career, and you may just find the time surrounding it isn’t so negatively consumed by the thought of Monday morning rolling in.

1.Don’t Settle In a Career that Doesn’t Satisfy YouIt can be easy to stay in a job that you know, or that is comfortable, or that is easy. But if you aren’t satisfied or living up to your full potential, then why bother? You may love your job, the benefits, the coworkers, but if you have potential that isn’t being tapped into, then you aren’t in a sustainable career.

2.Challenge Yourself to Improve. Every. Single. Day.Whether something simple, like getting out of bed without snoozing the alarm, or something more impactful like volunteering to take on a new task at work that may be a little outside of your comfort zone, challenging yourself will help you to constantly improve. You’ll find that over time the things that were once challenges become second nature.

3.Stop Letting Your Job Dictate your MoodIt’s easier said than done, but if you’re having a bad day at work don’t let it control the rest of your day. It won’t improve your day at work and it certainly won’t improve your time away from work, either. Work is necessary, and you can do it miserably or happily, your choice. It may not be easy, but it will be worth it.

4.Know That Asking For Help Isn’t a Sign of WeaknessPride plays a big role for many people, and makes them hesitant to ask for help. Asking for help does not make you weak or vulnerable; it helps you to do your job efficiently and correctly. It’s much easier to ask for help than to make a mistake, or to be worn down by taking on too much.

5.Do Something That Scares YouIt can be risky, but sometimes a little risk pays off greatly. You may have a good job, but need to leave it to pursue your passion. Or maybe take on a promotion that holds more responsibility than you’re used to. It doesn’t even have to be that big or exciting, but whatever it is, do something for your career that elevates your pulse.

6.Learn that Monday is Not the EnemyWeekends are great, and Monday will rarely be that fantastic, but it isn’t the enemy. It’s a new week, you’re fresh and relaxed from the weekend, earning the big bucks and making things happen. Make the best of it you can. Plan something fun to look forward to after work, pack a special treat for lunch, and be grateful that you have a Monday to complain about because plenty of people wish they had that problem.

7.Don’t Fear the UnknownThe unknown could be a new job, it could be a new project or a new skill. At first, it can be scary and intimidating, but you won’t find out unless you try. Staying in a play you don’t like because you don’t want to leave what you know will be detrimental to your career and your life.

8.Help Others to be Their BestIf nothing else, help others. Help your colleagues, help your boss. Sometimes focusing on others rather than yourself first will help you reevaluate yourself. Even if it doesn’t, the worst case scenario is that you helped someone. Bring people up and you’ll find you bring yourself up, too.

9.Find Ways to Clear Your Mind of Work When You’re Not ThereEven if you love your job, don’t let it be your life. You need a little time for your brain to chill, to think about nonsense. If you’re always thinking about work it will be hard to have a fresh perspective. Clearing your mind from work when you aren’t there will improve both work hours and not.

10.Know that YOU Control Your Own FutureIt may be cliché, but it is the cold hard truth. Luck and good looks will only get you so far, the rest of the way you’re going to have to work, and you’re going to have to work hard, to shape the future exactly how you want it. So take control of your own life, and make your own dreams come true.